Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-01-25
DAk0TA'S INDIANS.
Success of the Northwestern Commits
si0n's Negotiations.

SUCCESS of the Northwestern Commits
sion's Negotiations.
Washington, Jan. 2l-The success of
the Northwestern Indian commission in
securing an agreement with the Arick-
arees, Gros Ventres and Mandans, sur
rendering nearly t%hree-ffths of their
reservation at and around Fort Ber-
thold, Oak, Is o subject for congraiula-
ton for the territory, but Dakotaians
here are inclined to think that the In
dian bureau would have lone better to
have sent Messrs. Wright. Daniels and
Larabee to the Great Sioux agencies
rather than to put them into the north
west section, where the demand for tho
opening OF the reservation Is not as great
as in the great Sioux. Nearly two mil
lion acres of land will be thrown open to
settlement by the United States immedi-
ately upon the ratification of the above
mentioned treaty by congress, but it ia
in o section In north Dakota in which
there are scores of unsettled counties
and millions Of acres of unsettled land;
and while 1t is a good thing, from an In
dian point Of view, to get these Indians.
settled upon q smaller reservation and
the new Indian policy Of the govern
ment started, the administration should
remember that the interests of the pee
pie Of southern Dakota are far greater
than those OF some thirteen hundred In
dams, and that those. interests demand
immediate attention. The house has
really little or no opposition to the Sioux
opening bill, provided that measure is
forced upon 1t and can secure time for
consideration. The trouble, apparently,
lies IN q lack OF energy on the part of
the committee on Indian affairs in the
secure o day for the consideration of all
its measures. This being the fact and
the certainty OF the passage OF the bill
being assured, the northwestern Indian
commission could have secured from
the Indians this winter an agreement
surrendering this $4,000 square miles to
be set off, and have had the bill really
to go into operation Immediately or
soon after the passage OF the bill. The
opposition to the bill has not considered
the very few Indians who are interested
in the opening of the reservation. 1t is
quite natural that the Indians attached
to the agency should make their individ-
uat agencies their close abiding places
especially in view Of the fact that near
ly all game has disappeared, and that
hunting is no longer an object with
them. The only agencies included within
the line of this proposed opening
that ia between the Cheyenne and
White rivers-are the Grow Greek and
Lower BruIe and the Cheyenne River
agencies. at Cheyenne River, by the
| late census. there are 49, Indians: st
Grow Creek and Lower Brule, 2,243;
making about 800 Indians who have
any interest whatever IN the IL, 0
square miles which it is proposed to
throw open. Those at Cheyenne River
are really on the boundary line OF the
proposed opening and have all OF the
enormous territory north of the Obey
enne river for roaming ground, 30 that
neither Mr.. BANDS Indian defense as
ISOLATION nor any other set OF individuals
with views" on the Indian question.
have any good foundation for COM
plant. III, as is desired, the clauses in
relation to certain railroad franchises
extended to a certain roads, through the
bill, are to be striken out, it ia not
thought that the railroads will make
any serious opposition. The opening OF
the reservation is SO much moro import
ant compared with the little amount Of
land and facilities given to the railroads
by this bill, that these will not be al.
lowed to stand in the way of its passage.
In view of what these roads have done
for the territory without money aid OF
land grant, MIR. Wellborn's objection
seems childish.